Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network system and a device management method, and, for example, relates to a network system and a device management method for managing and displaying images relating to the utilization status of image forming apparatuses.
Description of the Related Art
As a technology for managing image forming apparatuses typified by multi-function peripherals connected to a network in an office or the like, a method in which the user notifies printed job and error histories to an administrator is known. Also, a technology that involves monitoring the utilization status of image forming apparatuses by a device management system coordinating with network cameras is under consideration.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-197152, video of a period including from when printed material is output until when a person removes the paper output is recorded by utilizing notifications from the image forming apparatus such as job start, job end and discharge unit paper removal. Managing output jobs in association with this video enables video of a person who has taken someone else's output to be specified.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-197152 is premised on the image forming apparatus and the monitoring system always operating in tandem with each other, since recording is started and ended by the monitoring system detecting the notifications of all print processes (from the start of a print job until the end of the print job and removal of paper from the discharge unit) from the image forming apparatus. Also, although it is possible to check for someone removing another person's paper output, either intentionally or accidently, and the like, it is not possible to extract recorded video related to various errors that have occurred in an image forming apparatus.